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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24556564">Touchdown!</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomsandxfiles/pseuds/lovelyavengers'>lovelyavengers (fandomsandxfiles)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, American Football, F/M, Fluff, This is my self-projection high school au where football players aren't horrible people</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:08:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,432</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24556564</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomsandxfiles/pseuds/lovelyavengers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Your first real brush with the football team was when you agreed to help the coach and do stats for the season of your senior year.  What you didn’t expect when you signed up though, was to catch feelings for the quarterback.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steve Rogers/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>60</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Touchdown!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hi! this is the first high school AU i've ever written, and it's a bit ironic that someone who never went to a high school football game is writing a fic about high school football, but here i am I guess.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You ducked to avoid the soccer ball that had come flying at your head as you walked over to the girl's soccer team practicing. "Sorry Y/N!" Peggy yelled at you, running over to retrieve the ball. "It's the first day of preseason, I'm a bit rusty!" </p><p>You shook your head and laughed at your friend's frantic apology. This would be your second year recording stats for the girls soccer team, and to say that you'd never been accidentally hit by the ball would be a huge lie. You took a seat on the bench and waited for Dot to make her way down to the field. Dot was one of your closest friends, and the one who convinced you to start doing stats with her in the first place last year.</p><p>When Dot finally graced you with her presence, the coach wasn't too far behind. He walked over to you and Dot first though, which you found to be odd, because you two really didn't do a lot during practice, it was more at games when you were needed. </p><p>"Would either of you girls be willing to help the football team out and do their stats for the season?" Coach Coulson asked. "Coach Fury asked me if I could spare one of you because the person who did the stats last year graduated." </p><p>You weren't too keen on having to learn a whole new scoring and stats system, but you could see Dot's face go white. "I'm sorry coach, I can't," she said.  </p><p>Coulson shrugged in response. "I don't care if either of you do it or not, it was just a favor.  If you are interested Y/N, just stop by football practice within the next few days and let Fury know."</p><p>As he walked away to go start practice, Dot turned to you. "I can't do it Y/N!" she said. "Bucky is on the team and I can't face him!"  Bucky was Dot's ex-boyfriend, and although their breakup wasn't as ugly as a few of her others had been, Dot still took every precaution to avoid Bucky at all costs. </p><p>"It's fine Dot," you said. "You heard Coulson, if you don't want to, you don't have to, and it sounded like Coach Fury was only asking for one of us.  I don't know much about football, but I'd do it. If you think you can handle both of our jobs here that is." </p><p>"The riveting lifestyle that is score keeping for girls soccer?" Dot raised her eyebrows. "Y/N, a dog could probably be fine doing it. If you want to do the stats for football, go ahead. And then you would be privy to all the good football drama!" </p><p>"Is that the only reason you want me to do this?" you asked, smiling. "So I could spy on Bucky for you? You guys broke up ages ago, and unless you lied to me, I didn't think there was any bad blood between you two."</p><p>"Oh shut up Y/N!" she said, hitting you lightly on the shoulder. "I'm just saying that you might be able to hear about some of the stuff that goes on before it hits the rumor mill in school." </p><p>You rolled your eyes.  "Dot that's ridiculous. They're normal kids, just like everybody else. I highly doubt that this so-called good drama that you speak about is just normal, like every other club or team has." </p><p>You were nervous approaching the football coaches after soccer practice finished, who were standing on the track watching the players practice and do drills you didn't think you would ever understand.  "Excuse me, Coach?" you said in a small voice, and Fury turned to you. "My name is Y/N L/N, and I did stats for girls soccer last year.  My coach told me that you guys were going to need someone to do stats for this season?" </p><p>Coach Fury was actually very nice, despite his grumpy exterior, and he explained everything that you would need to do for football stats, and how that would differ from keeping stats for soccer. You gave him your school email so he could send you copies of that stat sheets and other things, and you were soon walking back to the parking lot with Dot, who had waited for you while you spoke to Fury. "So," she said the moment you were out of earshot of the football field. "What was it like?" </p><p>"Dot, I spoke to the coach for like one minute, I really don't know what it's going to be like." </p><p>"Come on, you have to have some idea!" </p><p>"I don't know Dot," you said. "But I do think it's going to be a lot more work that keeping stats for soccer though. I have to figure out pretty much everything about the game so I can take stats for it, and I'll have to know the players' jersey numbers by heart so I can keep track of their stats during games."</p><p>"It doesn't help that they all look the same from far away because of their helmets either," Dot joked. </p><p>"Yeah, so I'll be at their practice for about an hour or so every day." Thankfully, Fury said that you didn't have to stay for the entire practice every day in the summer, because football was often the first sport there in the morning and the last to leave. </p><p>"When do you start going to practice?" </p><p>"Tomorrow, I don't have to get here until 10 in the morning, but the coaches will introduce me to the team and all that stuff."</p><p>"Ooooo, and then all the football players are going to fall for the shy stats girl!" Dot said, smiling. </p><p>"Shut up! Sometimes I wonder why I tell you these things." </p><p>"Oh but you love me." </p><p>"I'm not so sure about that right now," you joked.</p><p>"Hey!"</p><p>***</p><p>You nervously walked down to the football field the next day, wondering what was in store for you.  It was still a little early, so you took a seat on the bleachers and waited for the team to stop what they were doing.  A few moments later the cheerleaders were walking past you to start their practice, and you waved to a few of them that you knew from different classes. </p><p>"Hey Y/N!" Natasha said brightly, stopping to talk to you. She had been your lab partner in physics the previous years, and while you weren't sure if she considered you a friend, you would smile at each other in the hallway and have walked to class together. "What are you doing here?" </p><p>"I'm doing stats for the football team this season," you said. "Today's my first day at practice." </p><p>You spoke with Natasha for a little bit longer, until she had to go start cheer practice, and you noticed that the football players were all taking a water break on the other side of the field, so you climbed down from the bleachers and headed over to Coach Fury.  Once he saw you coming, he waved you over and called the players from the bench. "Alright everybody I've got an announcement! This is Y/N and she's going to be doing stats this season for you guys," he said, gesturing to you. Not sure what to do, you just waved shyly.  You knew some of the players just from having classes with them (and Bucky, because he had dated Dot), but there were some faces you didn't recognize.  "She's going to be here for a little bit during practice every day to learn your names and the ropes of the game, and I expect you all to treat her with the utmost respect, or the only position you'll be playing is water boy, do you understand me?"</p><p>The players nodded in response and you waited as Fury told them what they were going to do for practice. After that, Fury handed you a copy of each of the stat sheets and started explaining some of what you would have to do. Thankfully on game day, there was going to be more than one coach, so all you had to do was listen to what they said and mark tallies on your sheet.  </p><p>A little while later you were standing on the track and watching practice, trying to learn the players' names and numbers, when Natasha called your name and walked up next to you, setting her cheer bag on the ground. "Hey," she said. "How did it go?" </p><p>"Good," you said. "I think the hardest part of this is going to be figuring out who's who during the game." </p><p>"Yeah, I still get some of the players confused sometimes," she said. "Who do you know so far?" </p><p>"Well I know number 17, Bucky Barnes," you said. "But that's because he dated my best friend a little bit ago, so it might be cheating."</p><p>Natasha laughed. "Nah, that's good that you know at least one person before the end of the first day. Anyone else you know of?" </p><p>"I had math class with Tony Stark last year, I think he's number 30," you said, and Natasha nodded. "I know Bruce Banner, Clint Barton, and Sam Wilson from other classes, and Jack Thompson because he's friends with my friend Peggy, but I don't know their jersey numbers though." </p><p>"That's not bad," she said, before rattling off their jersey numbers in one breath. </p><p>You stared at her in shock. "How on earth did you do that?" </p><p>She laughed. "Sometimes we have to do specific cheers if players do something really well, so we have to know most of the team's jersey numbers. It's only the beginning of August though, you'll catch on before school and games start in September. I was surprised you didn't mention Steve Rogers though. I thought everyone would know the quarterback." </p><p>You shrugged. "I'm so new to the whole world of football, I've never actually been to a game." You checked the notes you had made on your stat sheets.  "Quarterback... He's number 44 right?" </p><p>"Yeah, he just moved here last year, and he's really good. He's cute too," she said, smiling. </p><p>You groaned. "You sound like my friend Dot," you said. "I think she's happier that I'm doing this than I am.  She's convinced that I'm missing some kind of romantic fulfillment." </p><p>Natasha laughed. "As much as I may agree with Dot on that, I don't think Steve has dated anyone since he moved here.  A lot of the cheerleaders think he's kind of stuck up because he's kind of distant from the rest of the team."</p><p>"Well just because he's distant doesn't mean he's a bad person or stuck up," you said. "He's on the team to play football, not be best friends with everyone on the team."</p><p>Natasha nodded in agreement, and the two of you went on to chat about other things. But little did you know that Steve was taking a water break over on the bench and happened to hear your conversation about him. He didn't mean to listen to your conversation, he just had really good hearing and stopped when he heard his name. Once the conversation on him had ended, he snuck a glance at you while you had your eyes on the stats sheet, and smiled before putting his helmet back on and returning to practice. </p><p>***</p><p>You continued to go to football practices every day, and you were slowly getting better at recognizing the players while they were on the field. You had also become a lot closer with Natasha, and friends with two other cheerleaders on the team, Wanda and Carol. But mostly you just stayed on the sidelines by yourself. It was lonelier than soccer, because you no longer had Dot to talk to whenever you wanted, but it was also much more responsibility, because the coach saw you as another set of eyes on the field, sometimes asking you to watch certain players and see how they did with specific plays. </p><p>Until one day towards the end of the month, you were standing by yourself just off the field reading over the stat sheet on your clipboard and matching players up with their positions when Steve Rogers approached you. "Hey," he awkwardly said. "I wanted to check with you and make sure you were all set for our scrimmage game next week, that you were good on the score sheet and stuff." </p><p>Your brain was running a million miles a minute, but you managed to keep your face cool. "I think I'm good at this point. Don't worry, I won't mess up your stats," you joked lightly. </p><p>Steve's face went slightly pink at that. "No- I - I didn't mean it like that," he spluttered out. "I just wanted to help if you needed." </p><p>You laughed. "Steve, it's fine. I know what you meant."</p><p>Before he could respond, Fury called all the players to huddle up around him, and Steve had to run back to the field. You shook your head and laughed at what just happened. </p><p>That wasn't the only strange interaction that you had with Steve Rogers though. The next week, the team was loading up the bus with equipment to go to a neighboring school to scrimmage, and you had to go. You got to be the first person on the bus because you didn't have to lug all the stuff around, but you picked a spot near the front of the bus and put your headphones in, not expecting anyone to sit next to you.  </p><p>And for a while, no one did. The players all crowded each other on the back of the bus, until slowly the back had no more room. Fury stood up from the very front and made an announcement that the entire team had to fit on the bus, so they better cuddle up and get used to it. You had placed your bag next to you on the seat, and so far that had secured you your own bench on the bus. Unfortunately for Steve, who was coordinating the equipment being loaded in the back, when he got on there were barely any seats left. He stopped next to you and looked at you apologetically. "Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked quietly. </p><p>You shook your head and moved your bag before he sat down, taking out his own headphones and putting them in his ears.  The bus ride was mostly silent on the way to the game, with almost every player sitting quietly, headphones in, trying to focus for the upcoming game. You gazed out the window at the passing scenery, nervous for the game even though you weren't playing. You were going to be taking stats for the game, and even though this game didn't really matter because it wasn't going to be on the record, you were still worried that you weren't going to get the stats right.</p><p>The game ended up going well, and you walked back to the bus, knowing that the bus ride back to the school was going to be much more chaotic. That had happened when you did the stats for soccer, on the way to the game everyone was quiet and focused, but on the way back the bus would be lively with voices and loud singing, whether the team won or lost. You dropped into the same seat you had occupied on the way there, and waited. A small voice inside you wondered if Steve would sit next to you again, but you quickly shooed that thought away. He'll probably have Bucky save a seat for him somewhere towards the back of the bus. </p><p>So far, your theory seemed grounded. Bucky got on the bus with some of the other players and headed towards the back of the bus, but you didn't see Steve.  You were looking out the window when you heard someone say your name, and turned to see Steve, wearing the same apologetic look as before. "Sorry to bother you again, but can I sit here?" </p><p>You nodded. "Of course Steve, don't worry about it." </p><p>"Thank you," he said as he sat down. </p><p>"You know you could probably have Bucky save you a seat on the back of the bus," you said.  "This way you can sit with some of the team." </p><p>"Yeah, probably," he said. "But between you and me, I don't really like sitting at the back of the bus. It gets a little loud and crazy back there sometimes." </p><p>You nodded in agreement before opening your mouth and saying "Well, you're always welcome to sit with me at the front of the bus if you'd like." </p><p>"You know what, I might take you up on that," he said, and you both smiled. The rest of the bus ride was spent talking quietly to him, taking no notice of the general craziness that was going on around you.</p><p>***</p><p>Before you knew it, the first day of school had arrived, the first day of your senior year. It might be too early to tell, as the first bell hadn't even rang yet, but it was going well. You had a parking spot next to Dot, you had stopped for coffee at the place on the way to school, and you were pretty happy with your schedule. You were sat on one side of the classroom, in the middle of the row, with a few empty seats around you. You didn't really know anyone in the class that well, but that wasn't too big of a deal for you. You were so busy texting Dot that you didn't even notice that someone had take up residence in the desk next to you until you heard your name. </p><p>"Steve!" you said when you looked up and realized who it was. "Sorry, I didn't see you come in!" </p><p>"That's fine," he said, smiling. "I don't really know anyone else in the class, so I figured I would sit here for now." </p><p>Class started not soon after that, and you had to halt your conversation with Steve.  At the bell, you two gathered your things and walked out together.  "Where are you going next?" he asked.  </p><p>"I have history now," you said. "With Dooley. What about you?" </p><p>His face broke into a smile. "Me too! I'll walk with you then." </p><p>You later found that that you had two more classes with Steve, and you were luckily able to sit near each other in every class, if not directly next to each other. Over the next month, you and Steve got closer and closer.  You sat near each other in class, next to each other on the bus to away games, and you always waited for him to get out of the locker room after school so you could walk down to the football field together. It was nice to get to know him, because he was really sweet and you actually shared a lot of interests, including your favorite TV show.</p><p>Unbeknownst to you, the rest of the senior class had noticed you two, and were now speculating on the nature of your relationship. Rumors flew all around school, but somehow they always missed you.  That, or you were just really oblivious. You finally found out about one day in October, as you were going out to lunch with Dot and she finally fessed up that most of the senior class had bets placed on you and Steve. "Dot, that's ridiculous!" You said, eyes wide. "Steve and I are just friends, and that's all." </p><p>"Well no one other than you believes that honey," she said. </p><p>"You must believe me!" you had protested. </p><p>"You're right. I do believe you." </p><p>"Thank you!" </p><p>"-Because I know for a fact both of you are dancing around each other and neither of you wants to make a move." </p><p>"Hey!" </p><p>"Oh just admit it!" Dot said. "You like him but you're afraid to make a move." </p><p>"Dot!" you huffed. "I can't believe you right now." </p><p>"You're avoiding the question, that means it's true!" </p><p>"You do know I'm your ride back to school right? I could just leave you here." </p><p>"You wouldn't." </p><p>"If you don't leave me alone about Steve I absolutely would." </p><p>***</p><p>As it turns out, Steve was also blissfully unaware of the school's fixation on him and Y/N, or he was until Bucky pointed it out to him one day before practice. "You know, it's cool if you date Y/N, but it might be a little weird around her friend because she's my ex." </p><p>"Huh?" Steve said, completely unaware of what is going on. "Y/N and I aren't together Buck. I don't know where you got that idea from." </p><p>"You're kidding," Bucky said, nearly dropping his water bottle. "I've seen you two together. You walk to class every day with her, and she waits for you to walk down to the field before practice Steve! If you're not already dating, you need to make a move then." </p><p>"Bucky-" Steve started to say. </p><p>Bucky wasn't done speaking. "And don't lie to me punk, I've seen how you look at the girl during practice. Fine, I believe you that you're not dating, but if you try to tell me that you don't have feelings for her I'm sending you to the trainer because you obviously have a concussion."</p><p>Steve lowered his voice. "Fine Bucky, I do like her. A lot, actually. But I'm not going to jeopardize a friendship because she doesn't feel the same way."</p><p>Bucky threw his head back in a loud laugh. "Steve, you really are an idiot aren't you? She obviously likes you too, you big loon." </p><p>"Now you're the one seeing things that aren't there," Steve said. </p><p>"You're saying you really haven't seen it? The way you two look at each other with the stupidest faces in the world?" Bucky was dumbfounded. "Half the senior class has money on the fact that you're secretly hooking up!" </p><p>"Bucky, that's ridiculous!"</p><p>"I'm just saying that you should make a move before it's too later punk." </p><p>"And how would you suggest I 'make a move' then?" Steve asked, crossing his arms over his chest. </p><p>"Take her out to lunch one day or something," Bucky said. </p><p>"You could always ask her out in a huge lavish display of affection one day after practice," another voice piped in, and Steve and Bucky turned around to see Tony standing there. "Something football themed, that would be cute." </p><p>Steve groaned. "Tony, why were you eavesdropping on our conversation?" he asked. </p><p>"Same reason half the school's been staring at you for a month, I want to know what's going on between you and Y/N." </p><p>"You know Steve, he's not wrong about a gesture of affection," Bucky pointed out. </p><p>Steve groaned again before collecting his things and leaving the locker room.  You noticed his mood right away as he walked up to you and the two of you started to walk together. "What's wrong?" you asked. "You seem upset." </p><p>He shook his head. "Just the team being idiots, that's all." </p><p>***</p><p>Steve continued to pine in secret, up until the championship game. Nothing had changed between the two of you, but both of you found yourselves wishing that your relationship was more than friends.  In true idiot fashion though, neither of you said anything about it. </p><p>The game was tense, you could tell. Steve was on edge for days before the game, and that meant you were on edge too.  You found yourself watching the game with tensed muscles and a worried face, watching as the score went back and forth between the two teams.  The bright Friday night lights of the stadium weren't helping, and the crowd was watching in a hushed silence. Fury called a time out, and you went over to him and the team, standing just outside the circle. After Fury let the players go, Steve came over to you, wrapping you in a hug, even though he was still wearing his helmet.</p><p>"Steve!" you whined jokingly. "That hurt! Did you forget that you're wearing your helmet?" </p><p>"I can't help it," he said. "Can't I just give my good luck charm a hug?" </p><p>Your heart melted at that, but fought not to show it on your face. "Well your good luck charm doesn't like getting her face squished," you said. "You can give me a hug after the game, without your helmet." </p><p>Steve heard Fury call his last name in the distance, and let you go. "I'm holding you to that!" he shouted, jogging back to the field. You shook your head at him and went to collect your stats clipboard from the bench. </p><p>The rest of the game seemed to pass by in an instant, when in reality, it was anything but quick. The game had to go into overtime because the score was still tied, and soon the ten minute overtime period was almost over, with still no change to the score. </p><p>At that moment, it was like something snapped into place in all your team's heads though. It was like that last minute was playing in slow motion for you, as you held your breath.  Bucky passed the ball to Steve, who was sprinting with all he had to the end zone, and suddenly, he made it! </p><p>The crowd erupted in cheers so loud it felt like the ground was shaking. The referee called the game to be over and all the players practically jumped for joy.  The rest of the players went over to Steve to pick him up, but he escaped their grasp, walking right over to you instead. Frantically pulling off his helmet and throwing it to the side, he walked over to you and pulled you into a searing kiss.  You were still running solely on the adrenaline from the game, so you didn't question it, kissing back just as passionately. </p><p>The two of you were so wrapped up in your own world that you didn't notice the absurd amount of money that changed hands in the moments after that, and you honestly didn't care. When you finally broke apart, both of you were panting slightly. "Wow," you said quietly.  </p><p>"I told you that you were my good luck charm," he said as you broke apart. "I won in two ways tonight. I got the girl, and won the game."</p><p>"How about you collect your trophy then?" you asked as he pulled you into another kiss. </p><p>The crowd went wild. </p><p>
  <em>- the end -</em>
</p><p> </p>
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